The standards EN 1047-1 and UL 72 are among the strictest and most reliable fire-resistance tests for fireproof safes, fireproof cabinets and archival storage cabinets, because they simulate not only the fire itself but also its consequences, including the natural cooling phase.
EN 1047-1
EN 1047-1 is a European standard for fireproof safes, data safes and fire-resistant archive cabinets, and is considered the strictest European standard for the fire protection of paper documents and digital data media.
The test consists of several stages.
Fire test
The fireproof safe is exposed for 60 or 120 minutes to a furnace that follows the standard time–temperature fire curve (ISO 834 / EN 1363-1).
Impact and fire shock test
To simulate a realistic fire scenario, an additional test is carried out.
The safe is first placed in a furnace already heated to approximately 1090 °C.
The fireproof safe is then dropped from a height of about 9.15 metres onto a bed of rubble, simulating the collapse of a building.
Afterwards, the safe is returned to the furnace and heated again. Once the fire test has ended, the safe must cool down naturally, while the internal temperature continues to be monitored.
This procedure simulates a realistic situation in which a building collapses during a fire and the fireproof safe or fireproof cabinet remains exposed to high temperatures for an extended period.
Classifications
S60P / S120P
protection of paper documents – maximum internal temperature 172 °C
S60D / S120D
protection of digital data media – maximum internal temperature 72 °C
S60DIS / S120DIS
protection of highly sensitive data media – maximum internal temperature 52 °C
UL 72
UL 72 is an American standard for fireproof document safes, archive cabinets and data safes, and is conceptually comparable to EN 1047-1.
During the test, the fireproof safe is exposed for ½, 1, 2, 3 or 4 hours to a furnace that also follows the standard time–temperature fire curve.
Classifications
Class 350
protection of paper documents – maximum internal temperature 177 °C
Class 150
protection of microfilm and magnetic media – maximum internal temperature 66 °C
Class 125
protection of highly sensitive digital media – maximum internal temperature 52 °C
In UL 72, an impact test (drop test) may be included in the procedure, but it is optional. As with EN 1047-1, a natural cooling phase is applied in which the temperature inside the fireproof safe continues to be monitored after the fire test has ended.
Importance of natural cooling
In a real fire, a fireproof safe or fireproof cabinet often cools down only several hours after the fire has been extinguished, and the internal temperature may continue to rise for some time.
Only standards such as EN 1047-1 and UL 72 explicitly test this cooling phase (“cooling test”). This ensures that the contents of the fireproof safe remain protected even after the fire itself has ended.
For this reason, these standards offer the highest level of fire protection, not only during the fire but also during the critical hours afterwards.